DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0241
AT BROSELEY, IN SHROPSHIRE. 211
That you may have some notion what it is, I will lay before
you such an account of it, as the cursory view I had will
permit. v
The well for four or five feet deep is six or seven feet
wide ; within that is another less hole of like depth dug in
the clay, in the bottom whereof is placed a cylindric earthen
vessel, of about four or five inches diameter at the mouth,
having the bottom taken off, and the sides well fixed in the
clay rammed close about it. Within the pot is a brown
water as thick as puddle, continually forced up with a vio-
lent motion, beyond that of boiling water, and a rumbling
hollow noise, raising or falling by fits, five or six inches;
but there was no appearance of any vapour rising, which
perhaps might have been visible, had not the sun shone so
bright.—Upon putting down a candle at the end of a stick,
at about a quarter of a yard distance, it took fire, darting
and flashing in a violent manner, for about half a yard high,
much in the manner' of spirits in a lamp, but with greater
agitation. The man said that a tea-kettle had been made
to boil in about nine minutes time, and that he had left it
burning forty-eight hours together, without any sensible
diminution.
It was extinguished by putting a wet mop upon it, which
must be kept there a small time, otherwise it would not go
out. Upon the removal of the mop, there succeeded a sul-
phureous smoke, lasting about a minute; and yet the water
was very cold to the touch.
The well lies about thirty yards from the Severn, which,
in that place, and for some miles both above and below,
runs in a vale full 100 yards perpendicular below the level
of the country on either side, which inclines down to the
vale, at an angle of 20 or 30 deg. from the horizon, but
somewhat more or less in different places, according as the
place is more or less rocky.
The
That you may have some notion what it is, I will lay before
you such an account of it, as the cursory view I had will
permit. v
The well for four or five feet deep is six or seven feet
wide ; within that is another less hole of like depth dug in
the clay, in the bottom whereof is placed a cylindric earthen
vessel, of about four or five inches diameter at the mouth,
having the bottom taken off, and the sides well fixed in the
clay rammed close about it. Within the pot is a brown
water as thick as puddle, continually forced up with a vio-
lent motion, beyond that of boiling water, and a rumbling
hollow noise, raising or falling by fits, five or six inches;
but there was no appearance of any vapour rising, which
perhaps might have been visible, had not the sun shone so
bright.—Upon putting down a candle at the end of a stick,
at about a quarter of a yard distance, it took fire, darting
and flashing in a violent manner, for about half a yard high,
much in the manner' of spirits in a lamp, but with greater
agitation. The man said that a tea-kettle had been made
to boil in about nine minutes time, and that he had left it
burning forty-eight hours together, without any sensible
diminution.
It was extinguished by putting a wet mop upon it, which
must be kept there a small time, otherwise it would not go
out. Upon the removal of the mop, there succeeded a sul-
phureous smoke, lasting about a minute; and yet the water
was very cold to the touch.
The well lies about thirty yards from the Severn, which,
in that place, and for some miles both above and below,
runs in a vale full 100 yards perpendicular below the level
of the country on either side, which inclines down to the
vale, at an angle of 20 or 30 deg. from the horizon, but
somewhat more or less in different places, according as the
place is more or less rocky.
The